About

The Dying Butterfly

Sep 24, 2023

Cover photo by Andrew Neel at Unsplash.com

I published the ebook: The Dying Butterfly back in 2017, and since its publication, I have been asked a few times how I came up with my ideas on how the virus was handled. It has also been said by those who read it during COVID that it was eerily similar.

So, how was that possible?

It was pretty easy actually. I have a medical background working in a lab that worked very closely with a medical office upstairs. While I was working there SARS and eventually H1N1 were part of our world. I saw first-hand how the medical world tried to stop the spread of each. Also, during H1N1 I watched the news following the scramble to get a vaccine. From there, I imagined what the next steps might have been if it got much worse.

As I was writing this the Zika virus was making its way into the news. My mother was my reader. As I wrote she read each chapter I gave her. She was mildly creeped out as she read and watched the news.

Where can I buy the book?

I have pulled the ebook from Amazon. They really do nothing to help authors and while they make money on reads of my book I make pennies. I figured if I am only going to make pennies on the reads I would much rather give it away to you, my readers, for free.

Currently, The Dying Butterfly is only available in audiobook format, hardcover, and paperback.

Why did I write this story?

I wrote it because I wanted my husband to read something I wrote and I knew he had zero interest in my first book. I also wrote it because I love zombie stories. Not all of them but many, but I get frustrated with them. I often find myself barking at the screen. There is always something that they do or don’t do that to me is so obvious. Writing my own gave me the opportunity to fix what to me were mistakes.

What is The Dying Butterfly about?

Writing a summary of my books is the hardest part of writing for me I think. Starting a book - those first few chapters are super tough, but summarizing my story into a paragraph or two that not only captures the story but is interesting is the absolute worst part for me, but here it is.

A post-apocalyptic zombie story. Though it is about an illness the message remains true, and that is when there seems to be no light hold on to hope. It is about never giving up when it appears there is nothing left to fight for. It is about not taking anything for granted from the simplicity of tasks to the little noises, all the way up to the people we cherish; and that sometimes the strangers we meet along the way, even if we don’t see it, are the ones that give us that strength.

Holly and Tony were a young couple in love. They thought they had all the time in the world but they were wrong...

As the illness spread and the population was dying, chaos sprang forcing Holly, Tony, and her family to flee their homes. A plan set and necessities previously stocked for this anticipated moment they took to the road.

One night as the deranged charged their camp they were forced to scatter, separating Holly from everyone she knew and loved.

In her search for her family and Tony, she stumbles upon a small community.

By the light of a flickering candle, from a typewriter she found in her travels, Holly tells us about the illness, her new life, and her search for the ones she lost. She shares her new philosophies on life, all that we take for granted each and every day, and human vulnerability as she reminisces the past, and her dreams of one day being reunited with the love of her life and her family.

How did I come up with this storyline?

Truth, I had no plan. I had a dream of one scene that I planned to form this story around. Turns out that scene doesn’t happen until book two (currently being written). I will tell you that even that scene really told me nothing about the story. My dream was actually an alien invasion that took place at a Walmart. Tony - the name one of the main characters was later given was slapped to come out of a vicious trace that he was in following the attack. this slap was to bring him back into himself before he hurt some innocent person. Holly - a name that was given later, yelled at the person who slapped him shouting it wasn’t Tony’s fault. Aside from that, I had nothing. I know. Aliens have nothing to do with zombies or a virus, but honestly, that is all I had.

As I wrote it all just unfolded. Characters were born and their identities grew. Their world became mine for a while and I loved every minute of it. Writing this book also taught me a lot about writing and publishing. I am very proud of it and I hope with all my heart that you enjoy it.

If this interests you, fabulous! Be sure to check your emails as I send out chapters of this book. If you miss one no worries. Visit me on Substack. each chapter will be there waiting for you to read.

I look forward to sharing this with you and hopefully interacting.